"Dear Carleton"
07-06-11, 04:13 PM
#326
Elitist
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- Metal rollers will last longer than plastic ones (obviously).
- Larger drums provide less resistance. Great for just warming up or doing pedal stroke or aerobic work. This is why trackies prefer 4.5" rollers because the purpose of the warmup is to warmup...not do any real work. Takes less leg power to use them.
- Smaller rollers provide more resistance. Great for doing road type aerobic-power workouts. Takes more leg power to use them.
- Kreitler is the go-to brand (pricey, though), but there are LOTS of other good brands out there. I've heard good things about the Travel Trac Alloy rollers. But, the drums are small, so more resistance.
The keys to riding rollers:
- SETUP: If you don't have the front wheel directly over the center of the front roller (or no more than 1cm behind) the rollers will be really, really hard to use. I watched a guy who was baffled one day at the track. He rode the rollers on his road bike no problem. Was graceful. Then he put his track bike on it was was falling off left and right. He couldn't understand it. But, it was because the wheelbase of the track bike was significantly shorter.
- It gets easier: If kids can do it, you can do it. Practice for 15-30 minutes. Take a break. Try again. Try tomorrow. Eventually, your body will fine-tune itself and you'll make small, subtle movements instead of the moderate movements that are amplified by the rollers and turn into jerky ones.
- Place an object on the ground 2-3 feet in front of you to stare at as you learn.
- Pretty soon you'll have it. You'll be riding no-handed, while watching TV and texting at the same time.
Last edited by carleton; 07-06-11 at 04:23 PM.
07-06-11, 08:10 PM
#331
My name is Alex
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Dear Carelton:
My friend rides a mountain bike that must weight 30lbs or more. The first ride we went on was about 20 miles round trip. I felt great afterwords but he was huffing and puffing (he has actually lost 130lbs over the last few years). I want to continue to ride with him and work on my endurance but I feel he might be working too hard to go farther.
Does it A) make sense to try and get him on a road bike B) try and convince him to spend a little bit of money on his mountain bike for some road tires and perhaps a taller gear C) just let him ride his bike the way it is and continue to let him push to hard?
My friend rides a mountain bike that must weight 30lbs or more. The first ride we went on was about 20 miles round trip. I felt great afterwords but he was huffing and puffing (he has actually lost 130lbs over the last few years). I want to continue to ride with him and work on my endurance but I feel he might be working too hard to go farther.
Does it A) make sense to try and get him on a road bike B) try and convince him to spend a little bit of money on his mountain bike for some road tires and perhaps a taller gear C) just let him ride his bike the way it is and continue to let him push to hard?
07-06-11, 09:02 PM
#332
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Dear Carelton:
My friend rides a mountain bike that must weight 30lbs or more. The first ride we went on was about 20 miles round trip. I felt great afterwords but he was huffing and puffing (he has actually lost 130lbs over the last few years). I want to continue to ride with him and work on my endurance but I feel he might be working too hard to go farther.
Does it A) make sense to try and get him on a road bike B) try and convince him to spend a little bit of money on his mountain bike for some road tires and perhaps a taller gear C) just let him ride his bike the way it is and continue to let him push to hard?
My friend rides a mountain bike that must weight 30lbs or more. The first ride we went on was about 20 miles round trip. I felt great afterwords but he was huffing and puffing (he has actually lost 130lbs over the last few years). I want to continue to ride with him and work on my endurance but I feel he might be working too hard to go farther.
Does it A) make sense to try and get him on a road bike B) try and convince him to spend a little bit of money on his mountain bike for some road tires and perhaps a taller gear C) just let him ride his bike the way it is and continue to let him push to hard?
3 Options:
- Either get him some sort of road/fg bike
- You ride a MTB
- You put on a *really* low gear and you both spin like hamsters...or just cruise slowly.
07-06-11, 09:27 PM
#335
Not actually Tmonk
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Dear Carleton,
Why do you insist on hanging out here (ssfg) when it is clear from a little reading that you could identify better with bf.net users in the track cycling or road bike racing sub forums?
Sincerely,
David G
Why do you insist on hanging out here (ssfg) when it is clear from a little reading that you could identify better with bf.net users in the track cycling or road bike racing sub forums?
Sincerely,
David G
__________________
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
07-06-11, 09:55 PM
#336
My name is Alex
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WTF! I swore I wrote it correct! Damn my slight dyslexia (seriously its been getting worse and worse) Many apoligies I am forever sorry!
But thank you for the tips. I have given him the option of riding my bike which he seems to entertain the offer... I do not have access to a mtb but that would be a nice medium, and I actually tried the low gear spinning last ride (we had a 3rd rider that was just going on a "bike ride" rather than for the excersize) and I was still going too fast for them hah!
I would be greatly interested to hear more about your mtb with a roadie story!
But thank you for the tips. I have given him the option of riding my bike which he seems to entertain the offer... I do not have access to a mtb but that would be a nice medium, and I actually tried the low gear spinning last ride (we had a 3rd rider that was just going on a "bike ride" rather than for the excersize) and I was still going too fast for them hah!
I would be greatly interested to hear more about your mtb with a roadie story!
07-06-11, 10:00 PM
#337
Still kicking.
Dear Carleton,
Keep hammering the 930 this week?
Keep hammering the 930 this week?
__________________
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
07-06-11, 10:15 PM
#338
sɹɐʇsɟoןןnɟsʇıbɟɯo
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Dear Carleton, would you eat something called "the carleton" for namesake alone??
07-06-11, 10:18 PM
#339
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I participate in both the Track and Road Racing forums, too.
What's a 930?
07-06-11, 10:23 PM
#340
Still kicking.
I've been riding fixed longer than I've been racing fixed.
I participate in both the Track and Road Racing forums, too.
It sucked. It was my GF at the time (around 2000). I had just bought her shoes + clipless pedals. She really enjoyed being even faster and more efficient. It was the longest, most frustrating hour of my life. I swear she forgot about me like 4 times.
What's a 930?
I participate in both the Track and Road Racing forums, too.
It sucked. It was my GF at the time (around 2000). I had just bought her shoes + clipless pedals. She really enjoyed being even faster and more efficient. It was the longest, most frustrating hour of my life. I swear she forgot about me like 4 times.
What's a 930?
__________________
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
07-07-11, 12:27 PM
#343
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dear carleton, do I need to lace my rear wheel any differently than the front if the hub is even on both sides after the flanges? or is that just a road bike thing
07-07-11, 01:34 PM
#345
:)
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You are right. Float defines how far your heel is allowed to move before the pedal disengages.
The heel angle affects how much tension (if any) is on the knee. Even *very* minute amounts of tension can be uncomfortable. Not painful, but noticeable. Here's an example. Stand up and jump a few inches in the air and notice the angle of your feet upon landing. Twist one or both of your feet in any manner, jump again, and they will land in the same angle. They sort of reset in the air. That's the angle they like. Now, while on the ground, turn the heel of one foot in or out and notice how your knee tightens up on the inside or outside just a tiny bit. This sensation is sort of magnified on the bike when pedaling when the cleat angle is slightly off. Float basically allows the cleat angle to be off within a few degrees and the knee will find where it wants to be. Float systems provide a margin of error for the cleat placement...which is sort of a benefit over toe-clip + slotted cleat systems. Or if you don't want to deal with the added hassle of minutely dialing in 0-float cleats (read below).
I use cleats with zero float. It's a fixed position. A lot of people think this is crazy. Most bike shops don't even bother carrying 0-float cleats. I have to special order them. What I think they don't realize that even with the 5-degree float cleats, their foot isn't wiggling between 0-5 degrees in the pedal stroke. It's at one of those degrees the entire time. BUT...now there is the opportunity for the heel to move and not be in the right position. Not that this would cause injury, but for me, it's more of an insecure, sloppy feeling. Keep in mind, this is one man's opinion. There are plenty of bike fitters and athletes who know way more about this than I do that use float and love it. 0-float cleats take about 15-30 minutes of trial and error with the bike in an indoor trainer to dial in. Basically the process is:
- Install cleat
- Put on shoes
- Mount bike
- Pedal
- Note the sensation of where the heel/knee wants to rest for each leg
- Dismount
- Adjust cleat(s)
- Repeat 3-4 times.
Tension:
Tension is relative to the rider's strength and body weight. What might be "high tension" for a 120lb girl would be "low tension" for a 200lb guy. So, it's relative.
That being said, I suggest that new users set the tension not on "high", but somewhere between "low" and "medium" based on how it feels to enter and exit the pedals. So, if your foot pops out effortlessly, that's "low" for you. Turn the tension up a bit.
If you are worried about accidental unclips and that's why you think "high release tension" understand that accidental unclips are due to bad pedaling form or worn cleats more so than inadequate tension. So, basically, pay attention and try not to allow your foot to twist during upstrokes or skidding and you'll be fine.
The heel angle affects how much tension (if any) is on the knee. Even *very* minute amounts of tension can be uncomfortable. Not painful, but noticeable. Here's an example. Stand up and jump a few inches in the air and notice the angle of your feet upon landing. Twist one or both of your feet in any manner, jump again, and they will land in the same angle. They sort of reset in the air. That's the angle they like. Now, while on the ground, turn the heel of one foot in or out and notice how your knee tightens up on the inside or outside just a tiny bit. This sensation is sort of magnified on the bike when pedaling when the cleat angle is slightly off. Float basically allows the cleat angle to be off within a few degrees and the knee will find where it wants to be. Float systems provide a margin of error for the cleat placement...which is sort of a benefit over toe-clip + slotted cleat systems. Or if you don't want to deal with the added hassle of minutely dialing in 0-float cleats (read below).
I use cleats with zero float. It's a fixed position. A lot of people think this is crazy. Most bike shops don't even bother carrying 0-float cleats. I have to special order them. What I think they don't realize that even with the 5-degree float cleats, their foot isn't wiggling between 0-5 degrees in the pedal stroke. It's at one of those degrees the entire time. BUT...now there is the opportunity for the heel to move and not be in the right position. Not that this would cause injury, but for me, it's more of an insecure, sloppy feeling. Keep in mind, this is one man's opinion. There are plenty of bike fitters and athletes who know way more about this than I do that use float and love it. 0-float cleats take about 15-30 minutes of trial and error with the bike in an indoor trainer to dial in. Basically the process is:
- Install cleat
- Put on shoes
- Mount bike
- Pedal
- Note the sensation of where the heel/knee wants to rest for each leg
- Dismount
- Adjust cleat(s)
- Repeat 3-4 times.
Tension:
Tension is relative to the rider's strength and body weight. What might be "high tension" for a 120lb girl would be "low tension" for a 200lb guy. So, it's relative.
That being said, I suggest that new users set the tension not on "high", but somewhere between "low" and "medium" based on how it feels to enter and exit the pedals. So, if your foot pops out effortlessly, that's "low" for you. Turn the tension up a bit.
If you are worried about accidental unclips and that's why you think "high release tension" understand that accidental unclips are due to bad pedaling form or worn cleats more so than inadequate tension. So, basically, pay attention and try not to allow your foot to twist during upstrokes or skidding and you'll be fine.
07-07-11, 03:03 PM
#346
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Dear Carleton,
Which futurama character is Scrodzilla most like?
and do you think the word filter for this forum resembles the v-giny?
Which futurama character is Scrodzilla most like?
and do you think the word filter for this forum resembles the v-giny?
